Record Reviews

VLATKO KUCAN QUARTET & TOMASZ STANKO ~ LIVE AT PALO-PALO TRUE MAZE 9803 ~ BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA ~ Free Jazz / Improvised Music Recorded: 1991 Released: 1998 This is a live album by a quartet led by Bosnian (living in Germany) saxophonist / composer Vlatko KucanFind albums by this artist, with German trombonist Michael DannerFind albums by this artist and American (also living in Germany) bassist Jay OliverFind albums by this artist and drummer Bill ElgartFind albums by this artist. The quartet in expanded to a quintet with the addition of the great polish trumpeter Tomasz StankoFind albums by this artist. The album was recorded at the Palo-Palo club in Hannover in 1991 and released only seven years later. It presents six tracks, two each by Kucan and Oliver, one standard and one by a German Free Jazz trombonist / composer Heinz-Erich GodeckeFind albums by this artist. Three of the tracks are over twelve minutes in duration and two are about nine minutes in duration, as appropriate for the event. The music is typical European Free Jazz / Improvised Music impromptu meeting, and despite the fact that he rhythm section is in Fact American, after playing for many years with European musicians they embraced to more sophisticated approach of careful interplay and developed rather than energetic explosions, which characterize American music of that idiom. The melodic themes are stated at the opening of each tune and returned to following each of the highly improvised passages, and there is plenty of space for all the musicians to express themselves individually, as well as offer some excellent group improvising and interplays in duets, trios, etc. In short, the music is well organized and eschews the chaotic mayhem, which Improvised music often falls into. For Polish Jazz fans and Stanko followers, this album is a true blast, as it presents some of the finest Free style blowing by Stanko, which he was mostly avoiding on his albums as a leader by that time. This album is rather unknown on the Polish scene, at least I haven’t seen much references to it in Stanko related writings, so it’s about high time to get acquainted with it. Overall, this is a blast of well-tamed Free Jazz / Improvised Music artistry by some excellent musicians, which is definitely worth to be heard, especially due to the presence of Stanko on this album. Not easy to get hold of, but definitely worth it!

Updated: 07/04/2024Posted: 07/04/2024

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